Business

The L'Orйal Group Euronext: FR0000120321, headquartered in Clichy, France, is the world's leading cosmetics and beauty company. L'Orйal has developed activities in the field of cosmetics, concentrating on hair color, skin care, sun protection, make-up, perfumes and hair care. L'Orйal is active in the dermatological and pharmaceutical fields. L'Orйal is also the top nanotechnology patent-holder in the United States.

Contents [hide]

1 History

2 Business

2.1 Corporate governance

2.1.1 Board of directors

2.1.2 Management committee

2.2 Stockholders

2.3 Earnings

2.4 Joint ventures and minority interests

3 Brands

3.1 Mass market products

3.2 Professional products

3.3 Luxury products

3.4 Active cosmetics

4 Trivia

5 External links

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History

In 1907, Eugиne Schueller, a young French chemist, developed an innovative hair-color formula. He called his improved hair dye Aurйole. With that, the history of L'Orйal began. Eugиne Schueller formulated and manufactured his own products, which he then sold to Parisian hairdressers.

In 1909, Schueller registered his company, the Sociйtй FranÐ*aise de Teintures Inoffensives pour Cheveux ("Safe Hair Dye Company of France"), the future L'Orйal. The guiding principles of the company that would become L'Orйal were put into place from the start: research and innovation in the interest of beauty.

During the early twentieth century, Schueller provided financial support and held meetings for La Cagoule at L'Orйal headquarters. La Cagoule was a violent French fascist-leaning and anti-communist group. L'Orйal hired several members of the group as executives after WWII.

In 1920, the small company already employed 3 chemists. By 1950, the research teams were 100 strong; that number reached 1,000 by 1984 and is nearly 2,000 today.

L'Orйal got its start in the hair-color business, but the company soon branched out into other cleansing/beauty products. L'Orйal now markets over 50 brands and many thousands of individual products in all sectors of the beauty business: hair color, permanents, styling aids, body and skin care, cleansers and fragrances. They are found in all distribution channels, from hair salons and perfumeries to hyper- and supermarkets, health/beauty outlets, pharmacies and direct mail.

L'Orйal has five worldwide research and development centers. Two in France: Aulnay and Chevilly. One in U.S.: Clark, New Jersey. One in Japan: Kawasaki, Kanagawa. In 2005, one established in China: Shanghai.

L'Orйal purchased Synthйlabo in 1973 to pursue its ambitions in the pharmaceutical field. Synthйlabo merged with Sanofi in 1999 to become Sanofi-Synthйlabo. Sanofi-Synthйlabo merged with Aventis in 2004 to become Sanofi-Aventis.

On 17 March 2006 L'Orйal made a Ј652 million agreed takeover of ethical cosmetics company The Body Shop.

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Business

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Corporate governance

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Board of directors

Current members of the board of directors of L'Orйal are: Francisco Basco, Werner Bauer, Liliane Bettencourt, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Jean-Louis Dumas, Xavier Fontanet, Bernard Kasriel, Marc Lacharriиre, FranÐ*oise Meyers, Jean-Pierre Meyers, Lindsay Owen-Jones, Franck Riboud, and Louis Schweitzer.

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Management committee

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